THRIVE

The Thrive Therapies philosophy is that health is not simply the absence of symptoms or diagnosed conditions. It’s about wellbeing – being the best you can be. To be healthy is to feel at your best. And when your health is the best it can be, you thrive in your life, on all levels. But living day to day in a busy modern society, feeling tired and stressed, it can be challenging to feel like this, to say the least. Add to that the effects of living with health conditions or symptoms, and life can end up seeming like just a matter of survival till the next day.

Nobody wants to live like that. Traditional acupuncture and related therapies offer a different way…

“In order to not just survive but thrive, we need understanding and knowledge about our health conditions, and motivation to invest and care for ourselves. And for each of us, this will be different.
Health is not simply the absence of symptoms. It’s about wellbeing – being the best you can be.”Emma, Thrive Therapies Practitioner

Acupuncture

What is Traditional Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles at specific points on the body. This stimulates our innate healing abilities.
But what does that actually mean, our healing abilities? For example, our bodies can heal a cut on our finger without too much trouble. Nothing is added, we can trust our body to get on and do what it needs to.
At Thrive Therapies, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupuncture is used.
This is a tried and tested system of traditional medicine, which has been used in China and other eastern cultures for thousands of years to restore, promote and maintain good health.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture is a system of medicine dating back at least 2000 years.

Traditional acupuncture is used to treat a wide range of health conditions – including but not limited to:

tension headaches

migraines

the negative effects on health from too much stress

lower back pain

neck pain

chronic health conditions

general poor health

Fertility acupuncture and supporting women undertaking IVF is another common use of acupuncture.
In 2003 the World Health Organisation (WHO) published a report for the general public on the effectiveness of acupuncture. It listed many “diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proved – through controlled trials—to be an effective treatment”.
Since this report was first published in 2003 there have been further clinical trials completed. For the most up-to-date information and research into your specific health concerns, please click on the links below. These are compiled by the British Acupuncture Council, and updated regularly:

If you don’t see your particular health issues mentioned, that doesn’t mean that acupuncture won’t be effective for you. Other health conditions can be found on the British Acupuncture Council fact sheets page. An even wider variety of health conditions were identified in the WHO 2003 report for which acupuncture showed therapeutic effects, but further research is needed.

The main differences between western acupuncture (such as the treatment that you might receive from a physiotherapist or a GP) and TCM acupuncture are that the focus is on the individual, not their illness, and all the symptoms are seen in relation to each other. In TCM each patient is unique. Two people with the same western diagnosis may well receive different acupuncture treatments. TCM acupuncturists are trained to use subtle diagnostic techniques that have been developed and refined for centuries. Observation of the person, looking at their tongue, and pulse taking are some of these techniques. Traditional acupuncturists believe that the underlying principle of treatment is that illness and pain occur when the body’s qi, or vital energy, cannot flow freely.

The philosophy of traditional acupuncture is that illness and pain are signals from the body that it is out of balance.

The balance of Yin and Yang is a key concept in traditional acupuncture.

There can be many reasons for this.
Emotional and physical stress, poor nutrition, infection or injury are among the most common. By inserting ultra-fine sterile needles into specific acupuncture points, a traditional acupuncturist seeks to re-establish the free flow of qi to restore balance and trigger the body's natural healing response.
Its benefits are now widely acknowledged all over the world. In the past decade traditional acupuncture has begun to feature more prominently in mainstream healthcare in the UK.
In conjunction with needling, your practitioner at Thrive Therapies may use a variety of other techniques, including massage, moxibustion, cupping, or electro-acupuncture. The practitioner may also suggest dietary or lifestyle changes, as part of the individualised treatment you can expect from Thrive Therapies.

Why Would You Have Traditional Acupuncture?

Auricular, or ear acupuncture, is one of the methods used at Thrive Therapies.

Traditional acupuncture benefits a wide range of common health conditions. More than you probably think. You may choose to visit Thrive Therapies to relieve specific aches and pains - such as tension headaches, migraines and lower back pain.
Or you may decide to come for treatment for other health conditions. It can be used for a wide range of health concerns. Including digestive issues, women's health problems, and mild to moderate mental health symptoms.
You can also choose to Thrive if you feel you’re just ‘not quite right’.
Tiredness, poor sleep, the stresses of modern life can all take their toll. Your body is out of balance, but there is no obvious diagnosis.

Treatment with traditional acupuncture provides:

Safe effective relief from symptoms

Improved overall health

The possibility of reducing use of medications and their associated side effects

Deep feeling of relaxation and well-being

Many clients continue to have treatment even once their symptoms are under control. This is because they find it so relaxing, and beneficial to their overall well-being.
There is a growing body of evidence-based clinical research which shows how the body responds to acupuncture.

Therapeutic Massage

What is therapeutic massage?

Therapeutic massage is high quality, expert massage treatment individually tailored to your specific needs.
Emma is highly skilled in this work, using her in depth knowledge of anatomy and channel theory together with years of experience in practise to give treatment which you will find deeply beneficial.
Various techniques will be used depending on what is needed and your preferences. These include:

Swedish massage

deep tissue massage

aromatherapy

trigger point massage

acupressure.

Experience a therapeutic massage that will help you thrive.

Why would you have therapeutic massage?

Benefits of therapeutic massage include:

• Reducing or eliminating pain
• Reducing muscular tension
• Deep relaxation of body and mind
• Improving joint mobility
• Improving circulation
• Increased well-being
Specific problem areas can be focussed on, such as neck and shoulders, or a full body treatment to balance the whole system.
Therapeutic massage is available either as an individual treatment, or as part of a treatment package with other therapies.
So whether you require vigorous deep tissue work to treat problem areas, or a relaxing rejuvenating experience to recover from the stresses and strains of modern life, Thrive Therapies has it covered.

I'm a real fan of massage - both giving treatment, and having for personal well-being.
I understand how vitally important it is to have treatment from someone who knows what they are doing and has real skill. So I work hard to give my clients just that.Emma, Thrive Therapies

If you have private medical insurance, check your policy details – acupuncture is often covered. Medical insurance receipts can be issued on request.

No obligation free 15 min advisory consultation

Find out if Thrive Therapies offers the best treatment options for your specific health issues - over the phone or in person. After listening carefully to you Emma will share her explanation of your symptoms from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective. She will look at how your symptoms link together to get a picture of your overall health.

Emma is the practitioner at Thrive Therapies. She has been giving high quality effective treatments for more than ten years. In that time she has helped hundreds of people improve their health and transform their lives.

Members are bound by a strict Code of Ethics, Rules and Regulations and a Code of Professional Conduct and Safe Practice.

Members are obliged to comply with local health authority safety, hygiene and sterilisation requirements, government regulation and carry full professional indemnity insurance, have up to date first aid training and attend CPD courses yearly.

Experience

In 2006 Emma completed further study at the Teaching Hospital of Tianjin, in China. Here she was able to enrich her acupuncture knowledge from leading expert professors in all departments from cardiology to paediatrics.

In the ten years Emma has been a practising acupuncturist, she has used her skills in a variety of settings: In private practice, GP surgeries, and on-site corporate contracts. The highlight was treating clients whilst travelling the world, as the on-board acupuncturist on a cruise ship.

Over the years she has treated hundreds of patients, and developed particular skills in the treatment of women’s gynaecological health, mental and emotional health, and chronic long-term conditions.

“I love my work – I dedicate myself to it entirely and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I am continually humbled by the bravery of my patients to share their suffering with me, and still ten years on amazed at the transformative power of acupuncture.”

As part of her Continued Professional Development Emma has undertaken a variety of courses, including: